How to Boost Equity

Highlights:

Step 1: Do the Work Yourself

Nearly 50 percent of the price of landscaping projects go to the cost of labor. For a crew of four, you can spend up to $200/hour. Keep costs down by doing your own labor.

Step 2: Add Hardscapes

An outdoor fireplace (Image 1) and a water feature (Image 2) can make a backyard feel more like a living room. Hardscapes like these are very popular and can boost the equity of a home so be sure to build them right and build them to last. This may mean hiring a crew, but in the long run the value will be worth the extra cost.

Step 3: Get a Movable Swing Set

By purchasing a tasteful playground that can be easily taken apart when the family moves you can keep the playground wherever you go, and the next homeowners don't have to have a play set in their yard.